As you guys should know, I am a web directory owner. I had been a web directory owner for over a year already and during this time, I have learned a lot and I have also gained some insight on the web directory industry. Currently, I have 3 directories, one a Singapore business directory, a general web directory and a niche directory. Although they are from different categories and segments, basically it’s all the same. Sure, I am not saying that my directories are a success like those big name directories you see on the Internet, but from what I see, they are successful because all of them have achieved what I wanted them to archive. The traffic to these directories are quite reasonable too. That, I am proud of.

Anyways, here are some tips and advice which I have for anyone thinking of setting up a web directory.

1. Patience. You will need a lot of patience to setup a web directory. Don’t expect like 15 minutes of work per day. Having a web directory requires you to sort out all the junk from the legitimate sites. You will also need to write proper descriptions for each submission. This would require you to visit the site in question and know what that site is all about. There is no other way about it.

2. Uniqueness. Get that brain working and think of something that no web directory has and implement it on your own directory. And get a unique design as well. Anything to stand out from the crowd. Don’t follow the crowd! Lead it! Everything is about being different here.

3. Advertisements. Yes, there are so many other web directories out there, you will need to do a lot of advertisement in order to stand out. Even if you have a unique site with some very interesting features, it still won’t stand out too because of the sheer number of web directories. Other than conventional methods, you should also look at directory forums and SEO forums as possible places for you to advertise your site. And if you are in a niche market, aim for related websites.

4. Niche. Having the correct niche will work wonders for your directory. If you know a particular niche which is not crowded or no one has thought about, you can quickly corner that market. And being first in the field, you will be able to gain a reputation which a lot of people will remember. Of course, you need to be at least knowledgeable in that field first. At the very least, you should read up and understand the particular subject or topic before entering the market.

5. Hardwork. I guess this is the same thing as patience. You will require a ton of effort to setup and maintain your web directory. Don’t expect submitters to do the work for you. It isn’t as easy as that. You need to check your submitters’ descriptions, your submitters’ spelling and so on. And you need to add your own useful websites to your directories in order for your directory to be of any use. For me, I try to add twice as many websites as those being submitted. Get ready to spend at least a few hours everyday on your directory, if you want it to be successful.

Hope these little tips help.